# Hash Browns or Home Fries **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210 "2013-07-22T17:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/1 "2013-07-22T17:09:36Z")
When you order breakfast at a diner, do you prefer hash browns or home fries? To me, hash browns are shredded potatoes, fried into a pattie, browned on both sides. Home fries are diced potatoes, grilled on a flattop with onions and green peppers, and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika. I prefer this kind of home fries. Any kind of potatoes fried in a deep fryer is just french fries. What kind of breakfast potatoes do you like? PTF ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/2 "2013-07-22T17:12:46Z")
Home fries, usually. I recently had some nice potato croquettes, though. BTW, there is no definitive way to cook hash browns. The classic recipe is to shred or dice the potatoes and cook them the same way as home fries (which are not cut so fine). McDonald’s introduced the patty version, but that sort of thing is really a potato pancake (or latke). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/3 "2013-07-22T17:15:55Z")
Hash browns. I like the onions and peppers in home fries, but you can never get the crunch you get with hash browns. In any case, seasoned liberally with hot sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/4 "2013-07-22T17:22:36Z")
American fries, which, at least around here, are sliced potatoes (rather than diced), and deep fried. Since they’re slices, not “sticks”, they aren’t french fries to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/5 "2013-07-22T17:26:13Z")
They are equally delicious to me. Too bad that was not a voting option. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/6 "2013-07-22T17:28:36Z")
I never know the difference and would be embarrassed to ask. I order one or the other and tolerate what I get. Ideally I want cubed potatoes cooked with some onions/peppers. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/7 "2013-07-22T17:29:01Z")
Hash browns. Preferably topped with cheese and gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/8 "2013-07-22T17:33:50Z")
I always order the hash browns, and if they arrive half-cooked or hard as a rock I never go back. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/9 "2013-07-22T17:50:38Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > When you order breakfast at a diner, do you prefer hash browns or home fries? > > To me, hash browns are shredded potatoes, fried into a pattie, browned on both sides. > > Home fries are diced potatoes, grilled on a flattop with onions and green peppers, and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika. I prefer this kind of home fries. > > Any kind of potatoes fried in a deep fryer is just french fries. > > What kind of breakfast potatoes do you like? > > PTF Given the stated definition, I voted hash browns. If I could get home fries without the green peppers (I dislike them), those would be good too. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/10 "2013-07-22T17:50:40Z")
Preferably hash browns, but they’re all good. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/11 "2013-07-22T17:50:47Z")
Give me something deep fried every time. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/12 "2013-07-22T17:58:15Z")
I like home fries, but I do them a bit different: I cook them in an iron pan with a lot of butter, steaming them for ten minutes and then taking the lid off and frying them for another ten. Sometimes I do just diced potatoes, and sometimes I add onions. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/13 "2013-07-22T18:02:44Z")
Is there a difference between home fries and potatoes o’brien? Because the description reads to me like potatoes o’brien. Either way, I want both with hot sauce and cheese melted on top. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/14 "2013-07-22T18:18:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Hash browns. I like the onions and peppers in home fries, but you can never get the crunch you get with hash browns. This. The home fries never have enough browning going on, and tend towards being wet and sloppy. (Often, hash browns don’t have enough either, but they do usually make a noble effort.) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/15 "2013-07-22T18:42:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Give me something deep fried every time. You’re in luck - the [Ohio State Fair](http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/07/21/gird-your-arteries-its-fair-time.html) opens this week. Make a special trip to enjoy the deep-fried gummy bears, deep-fried Kool-Aid and for a change of pace, the Krispy Kreme burger. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/16 "2013-07-22T18:54:44Z")
Depends on the restaurant. Some have hash browns that I like, some have home fries that I like. If I have to make a choice, I tend to pick hash browns more than home fries, but I didn’t vote because I don’t want to skew the results inaccurately… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/17 "2013-07-22T18:59:16Z")
It’s always been an either/or, IME - that is, either hash browns or home fries will be on the menu, but not both. And neither name seems to have a consistent definition, once outside the fast-food universe. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/18 "2013-07-22T19:32:18Z")
Our local breakfast place has both on the menu as options. The wife orders home fries wo/onion and I get the hash browns well-done. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/19 "2013-07-22T20:42:24Z")
Home fries, preferably cooked with diced onions & peppers, diced bacon, ham or sausage. When cooked, top with shredded cheese and mix in a couple of eggs beaten with a little milk. Cover over med-low heat until the eggs are puffy and done… Sort of a quick 'n easy breakfast frittata. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210/20 "2013-07-22T20:57:28Z")
Hashbrowns, scattered, smothered and covered, the Waffle House way. StG [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hash-browns-or-home-fries/664210.md?page=2)